The Harlequins captain, Rob Purdham, is on compassionate leave from his club following the death of his older brother in yesterday's west Cumbrian shootings.

Garry Purdham, 31, a former player with Workington and Whitehaven who recently returned to his old amateur club Egremont Rangers, was among the 12 people shot dead in and around Whitehaven by Derrick Bird yesterday.

Rob Purdham, a former Whitehaven player who represented England in the 2008 World Cup, travelled back home to Cumbria yesterday to be with his family and is not expected to play for Harlequins in Sunday's Super League match against Crusaders in London.

The Harlequins chairman, David Hughes, said: "The thoughts of everyone at the club are with the Purdham family at this terrible time and all those affected by yesterday's tragic events in Cumbria."

Rob, 30, played with Garry at Whitehaven before joining the London club in 2002. He was not available for comment today.

The Rugby Football League chief executive, Nigel Wood, said: "We are extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic events which occurred yesterday in Whitehaven and surrounding areas.

"Clearly a great number of rugby league people will be personally affected by these truly awful circumstances.

"The thoughts of everyone at the RFL and within the rugby league family are with the Purdham family and with the local west Cumbrian community at this difficult time."

The League have announced a game-wide minute's silence will be observed ahead of all rugby league fixtures this weekend.